


The Books X Loves

by Kosei



Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X
Genre: Literacy nerd, M/M, Maverick X, Too bad he's going maverick, Zero's got it bad, i love books
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 19:33:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28836381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kosei/pseuds/Kosei
Summary: Ruby red eyes,The eyes of a maverick.Yet... regardless of all that he fought before.He was powerless against him.
Relationships: X/Zero (Rockman)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 18





	The Books X Loves

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Deathinabite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deathinabite/gifts).



“The other day I was on patrol, without you."

"Without me?" Zero mused, sprawled on X's bed. The soft pillows were plush and flushed around him, molding carefree to his body. He didn't usually reach for a pillow... When he was by himself. But around X, he felt... well he wasn't sure. Safe?

"I'm not sure what you were doing, but yes. I was... alone." He fiddled with his fingers, calmly at his desk.

“That’s strange, you usually remember better than I do.”

“I suppose so. That’s kinda embarrassing… Anyway, I suddenly passed a bookstore-”

“Did it sell paper books?" He glanced at his collection; knowing how he adored them.

“Well, it was full of mostly QR codes," he admitted. Which was rare as well, most bought their digital books online. "but in the front window display there was one... one book that I had to have." 

“What was it?”

“ _‘The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.’_ ” he lifted the short novel. 

“That’s what you’re reading now.” Zero pointed out. 

“It is.” X gave him a small smile. “I’m afraid I was unprofessional and used on the clock time to go shopping.”

“I certainly don’t care about that.” his logic systems whispered to him and he relayed their message. “Who would complain about Maverick hunter X shopping for a few minutes?”

“If there was a maverick attack those few minutes could’ve been life or death. Aren’t you usually the one to lecture me on how I’m careless?” the pages between his book rustled as he smacked his arm, like a whoosh of a breeze. It didn't hurt. X then stacked the novel onto his shelf. He had an impressive collection of books on the lonesome shelf in his room. Well, impressive being he had more than one... Zero didn't know anyone else who had any. 

Zero read them in his mind although he knows them by heart, ‘ _The Anatomy and Physiology of The Human Body,’ ‘The Great Gatsby,’ ‘The Tale of Despereaux’ ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ ‘A Guide to Plants and Their Uses,’ ‘Cartwheeling Through Thunderstorms,’_ and now _‘The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.’_

X stood hands on his hips as he admired the shelf. “I wasn’t aware the author who wrote Despereaux also wrote about Edward Tulane, I don’t know what it was but it made it seem more special somehow.”

Zero didn’t understand a bit. “I can tell it in your eyes, you’re wanting to tell me all about it.” Well, it wasn’t really in his eyes there was a delicate and subtle twitch to his fingers and he couldn't standstill. Rocking on his heels, then to his toes again and again. 

Zero had listened to Nick Carraway’s partying at Gatsby’s mansion, and the trial that Atticus Finch was the defense for (X read out his entire speech, gushing and swooning over his words), even the African girl who was forced to attend a boarding school in London (wherever those places were.) Yes he still remembers that a Killer T-cell kills cancer cells, erythrocytes carry oxygen to the heart, and basil helps lower blood pressure. 

For some reason. 

X looked back to him, a smile twinging at his lips. “Stop me if I’m boring.”

Zero knew that he wouldn’t but he said okay anyway.

“So, in the beginning, we have our child rabbit and he’s a little egotistic, he doesn’t love or care for anyone even though the little girl Abigail loves him with all her heart. When he's thrown off the ship she's traveling on his first thought is the picket watch in his coat being left with Abigail, but I'm getting ahead of myself, oh my... It's important to note a fairytale told by-”

He was mostly silent when he talked about the book and gushed how it made him cry almost. From a title like that he was expecting a more action-packed book, with maybe a couple of explosions. High speed-train rides and a calling to achieve some sort of greater good. Not a somber tale of a china rabbit learning to love (which he doubted they could). Although he listened through the many hands the rabbit was passed through, and how he loved them all as much as they, their owners loved him, he didn’t find himself all too attached. 

_Love._

A concept like that was too heavy for him, perhaps the rabbit made of china felt the same way.

Look at him, comparing himself to a rabbit. What in the fuck even _is_ china anyway?

X cited a passage in which the rabbit described feeling full, and he assumed, happy, joy even.

What would it feel to be so full like that? He couldn’t dare to even imagine. He supposes... when around X, he felt warm and satisfied, as though he ate something delicious at a buffet. He propped his face up with his hand, admiring every dotted freckle in his cheeks, and shift of hue in his eye. He suddenly stopped talking and shook his head.

X’s hands weaved through his hair, his proximity alerts were alarmed, and his threat levels spiked up, that was normal, that is usually what happened when X was around and got worse if he dared to get closer than 100 meters. And even more so when right next to him and touching him. He has gotten used to it, even if X is the worst for doing that, but he felt even warmer too. Was that a good thing? 

Full... he felt full. 

“Your hair is tatty.” X tutted and bent over his bed, sitting on his knees, the feet of his oversized boots hung over the bed’s edge. Underneath he pulled out a brush and a spritz-bottle. After a few squeezes of the bottle, his hair was dampened and it was easier for X to push the brush through his tangles.

"You don't have to brush my hair-' he whined slightly, sucking in a breath as he pulled, his scalp ached slightly. 

“Why don’t you ever take care of your hair?”

“Please, your hair is always hidden by a helmet. I don’t know if you have a right to judge.”

“It is a privilege for you to even know I have hair. I don’t exactly have it sticking out from my helmet as you do.”

“I feel privileged.” Zero smirked. “I don’t get why you’re so conscious about it, your hair is fine. “

“It is not. You’re just saying that… Like anyone could compare to your hair.”

“I don’t get the point of it really, why’d my creator design me like this?”

“That and the chest-”

“Not you too, don’t you dare get goddamn started.”

X chuckled. “Sorry, but they do look a little like female characteristics. I read in the book of anatomy on my shelf that the purpose of breasts is to-’

“They are not breasts and I don’t wanna hear it.”

“It’s interesting!”

“I don’t want to hear your words echoing in my head every time someone talks about it.”

“I wonder why the design female-reploids with those same characteristics… They don’t seem to have a purpose."

"they store extra energy"

X smirked. "So they are useful then. You should be happy-"

“X one more time and I’m smacking you.”

“Please. Are you bored? Want to go and spar?”

“You’re offering? Are bored one?” He turned to look at him, his neck popped slightly to let his neck crane unnaturally, like an owl. 

“No." X hesitated, as though he shouldn't say what he was thinking next. "You seem to be a little out of it.”

“In what way?”

He pursed his lips together. “I’m not sure…”

“...Well, I was thinking about what you said." he admitted, turning back around "About... love making you feel full."

X was silent for a long moment.

“X…?” he turned around and was alarmed to see. His threat levels went beserk, screaming so loudly he had to grip the bed to stop himself from entering combat mode. His mouth felt dry, what he was seeing wasn't real, it could not be. For instead of those virescent eyes he was familiar, eyes like blood, flickering like rubies stared up at him.

Maverick.

The maverick smiling at him. "Love... is a powerful thing isn't it?"

He cupped his cheek and tilted his face up. The maverick bent down, his stare cold as he smiled. The way he bent his eyes made them look scary instead of kind. 

"They can make people do things they don't want to do. I... Can have you do anything." 

"X... What are you talking about?"

"What do you mean Zero?"

He lashed out to grab his hand and met his cheek instead. X sat beside him on the bed, putting away the supplies for his hair. He looked curious. 

"Zero, you're looking at me like I grew a second head." 

His red eyes were gone. 

“You alright Zero?”

A self-diagnostic report read that his optics were functioning fine.

“...I’m okay X.” His logistic systems and emotional circuit were still freaking out in his head though, scrambling his thoughts a bit as he recalled X’s words for him to take care... of him if he went maverick. He took a grip on the bed and sat up. 

"You know what, I'll kick your butt in a spar."

"Oh really? There's the Zero I know. I'm not the same rookie anymore you know. I'll be the one kicking your butt."

"Ha. Beat you in a race there." he hopped to his feet.

"Oh, you're on."

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you like it! happy birthday  
> This won't be updated though until after Zero/X week (February 15-22) To those reading this- I WILL SEE YOU THERE


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